Skipper Johnson clashed with his own goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey in the first half, conceded a penalty, gave a goal away and got flattened at the death.

He had not long been restored to the captaincy after turning up drunk for training – but his and Wolves’ problems seem to be ­getting worse not better.

While Bolton have won their last three league matches to climb out of the drop zone, Wolves seem doomed.

Terry Connor’s men took the lead through Michael Kightly but Bolton hit back with goals from Martin Petrov, Marcos Alonso and Kevin Davies before Matt Jarvis’s consolation strike.

Caretaker Connor has managed just one point from 18 since taking charge.

And with home games against Arsenal, Man City and Everton remaining, their chances of a fightback are looking bad.

The face-to-face clash, though, between Johnson and Hennessey summed up the hopelessness currently surrounding Wolves.

Wales stopper Hennessey, whose saves prevented a massacre, slated ­Johnson for missing a header that led to a Bolton shot from outside the area.

The fuming keeper walked towards his skipper while pointing his finger and Johnson didn’t take a backward step.

The two had their foreheads pressed up against one another like stags and it looked like a headbutt or a punch might follow.

Referee Jon Moss intervened to calm the situation but still the spat carried on. Hennessey brushed past the official to have another go at Johnson, until Kightly and then Stephen Ward tried to calm him.

In-fighting was the last thing Wolves and Connor needed with their Premier League status hanging by a thread.

The pity for Wolves was that they were looking dangerous and created good chances in the first half.

Steven Fletcher came close with his head on three occasions. His second ­effort was hacked off the line by Ryo ­Miyaichi in the 38th minute and he then put a Kightly cross inches over the bar from eight yards.

Wolves were finally rewarded for their efforts in the 53rd minute.

Kightly received the ball from Sylvan Ebanks-Blake out wide on the right, he ran at left-back Alonso, cut inside and sent his 20-yard shot past Adam Bogdan.

Whatever had been said at half-time in the dressing room, Wolves still managed to look a united team with the bit ­between their teeth.

But that spirit and any momentum they had clocked up went out of the ­window in the 63rd minute.

Johnson’s eventful afternoon ­continued when he was ruled to have fouled ­ex-Wolves man Mark Davies in the area and Bolton earned a penalty. Whether Johnson did in fact catch Davies or not, his lunge was still a reckless one.

Martin Petrov made no mistake with the spot-kick, celebrating by displaying a ‘Be Strong Stan’ message for fellow ­Bulgarian Stiliyan Petrov – who has been diagnosed with ­leukaemia.

Johnson missed another header for Bolton’s second when David Ngog ­instead headed against the bar and ­Alonso beat Johnson to the rebound.

Sub Kevin Davies killed Wolves off and now they are six points adrift.

Connor refused to accept their top-flight status is over, insisting: “People can say what they want but there are 21 points to play for.”